Garland construction



J. I. ADLER, JR 2,984,036 GARLAND CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 7, I959 id 02x73,

JM ZQJQwJb United States Patent 2,984,036v GARLAND CONSTRUCTION Joseph I. Adler, Jr., 522 Willgate Terrace, Glencoe, Ill. Filed Dec.7, 1959, Ser. No. 857,854 Claims. (CI. 4110) This invention relates generally to artificial foliage and more particularly, relates to improvements in an artificial garland construction which is characterized by a greater degree of flexibility than has heretofore been attainable with such structures whereby certain unique advantages are achieved.

Artificial garland structures are generally well-known.

make such artificial garlands it has been a common prac-' tice to use a wire core strand and in some contrived manner, attach a plurality of artificial foliage members along the length of the strand. Thereafter, it was necessary to angle the foliage members relative to ,the strand by bending the stem portions thereof. It was difiicult, if not impossible, to rotate the foliage member on the stem once it was secured thereto. Notwithstanding the considerable expense of labor and materials involved in making such prior art garlands, their utility was further limited to a considerable degree by their construction. Frequent bending of the wire core strand, as might be occasioned in attempting to obtain a particular drape of the garland or contour for edging and trimming purposes, often resulted in the strand being broken along its length so that it could not be used. Also, because of the limited flexibility of the wire core, it was very difficnlt to obtain graceful contours and draping of the garland except by the exercise of considerable patience, care and skill. Further, such prior structures have been relatively expensive because of the cost of labor and materials involved in their manufacture.

In addition, such prior constructions did not achieve a desirable degree of simulation of the natural foliage sought to be reproduced. This has been due in some measure, it is believed, to the difiiculty in obtaining desirable angular relationship between the foliage members and the elongate metal strand to which same are secured except by manipulation and adjustment of the foliage members individually.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the invention to provide a garland construction which is capable of substantially eliminating the disadvantages hereinabove enumerated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garland construction which is formed of molded plastic components capable of being easily and readily assembled together to form the completed garland without the need for special skill or training. In this connection, it also is an important object of the invention to provide a garland construction which can be manufactured and packaged for self-assembly by the purchaser and sold as such to the general public at substantially reduced cost as a result of the savings in manufacturers labor cost for assembly.

An important object of the invention is to provide a garland construction as described which is comprised of an elongate flexible strand or tube molded from a plastic or synthetic resin and the foliage components each comprise a molded member having a foliage portion simulating the desired configuration of a natural foliage member and a sleeve portion integral with said foliage portion adapted to be conveniently telescoped over the strand or tube and slid therealong to any desired position. A-n

ancillary object of the invention is to provide a foliage component for use in a garland in which said foliage portion and sleeve portion are molded of a plastic or resin material and are connected together so that when telescoped on the tube, the foliage component will automatically be positioned at a desirable acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garland construction as described in which said sleeve has a tapered passageway therethrough and the strand or tube is fluted on its exterior surface to cooperate with said tapered passageway to prevent inadvertent slippage of the foliage component along the length of the tube.

Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of a garland construction of the character described which is highly resistant to adverse weather conditions so that same can be used with equal advantage outdoors; which is durable and strong, which can be conveniently washed and cleaned and stored away for re-use, and which is very attractive and decorative.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof is evolved. "A preferred embodiment has been described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is believed that minor variations in the size, arrangement, construction and proportion of the several parts may occur to the skilled artison without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention,

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the garland construction embodying the invention which has been draped in the form of a decorative garland display.

Fig. 2 is an exploded, fragmentary perspective view of said gar-land construction to show details of component parts thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the component parts of Fig. 2 assembled together.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken transversely through the elongate tube of the garland construction. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the general direction.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the tube and a foliage member preparatory to telescopically assemblying thesame, the sleeve portion of the foliage member being shown in section.

Referring now to the drawing, the garland construction embodying the invention has been designated generally by the reference character 20. Same has been illustrated in Fig. 1 in one of the many different arrangements and configurations capable of being achieved therewith. Thus, the display shown in Fig. 1 is the familiar draped stringer or garland display which may be supported on a wall, for instance, by hidden fasteners or draped between a pair of columns on opposite sides of an aisle. Noteworthy of the display illustrated is that same is formed as a unitary assemblage, that is to say, from a single length of assembled component parts of the invention. Attention is invited to the gentle naturallooking curves 22 between support points and the natural looking drape ends 24. Many attractive configurations can be achieved with the garland construction 20.

The component parts of the garland 20 are comprised generally of an elongate, flexible hollow tube 26 and a foliage member 28. The member 30 also shown in Fig. 2 may be considered another form of foliage member, samebeing formed to simulate berries of the familiar holly. Thus, the members 26, 28 and 30 can be assembled together in accordance with the principles of the invention to provide a holly garland which is the type of garland display illustrated at 20 in Fig. 1. It will be appreciated that other forms and shapes of foliage members can be provided in accordance with the invention.

The member 26 may be formed as a continuous strand or tube and severed to any desired length. The tube 26 is a hollow member formed of a molded plastic or resin, such as polyethylene which enables a suitable degree of flexibility to be realized for the tube. The outer surface 32 of the tube preferably is fluted or grooved in the direction of the length thereof.

The foliage member 28 likewise is a molded member preferably of the same material as the tube 26. The member 28 simulates the configuration of a natural leaf, such as the configuration of a holly leaf in the embodiment illustrated, although other leaf configurations would be possible. The stem portion 34 extends the entire length of the leaf member with the lateral body portions 35 being provided with desired venation to simulate venation of the natural leaf. Likewise, other natural effects can be obtained during the molding of the product, such as leaf curvatures and curling of the edges, color and the like. The molded plastic leaf member is durable, easily washed and cleaned, weather-resistant and flexible.

The base portion 36 of the stem is secured at its outer extremity to the outer circumference of a sleeve or band member 38. The sleeve 38 is generally cylindrical and has a tapered central passageway 40 therethrough, the end of greater dimension being designated 42. As seen in Fig. 6, stern portion 36 is secured to the outer circumference of the sleeve adjacent said larger diameter end 42 and the stem portion 36 may have a slight bend 44 adjacent said sleeve. The simple construction of the foliage member 28 enables the entire article to be molded as an integral member conveniently and economically.

Referring again to Fig. 2, the foliage member 30 comprises an artificial berry member simulating the berries of natural holly. The member 30 likewise has a sleeve or band 38 with a tapered passageway 40 of which the end of lesser diameter is seen in the figure. Secured to the sleeve 38 adjacent the opposite end thereof is a plurality of berry components, each component having an elongate, flexible stem 46 to the outer end of which is secured a berry member 48.

To assemble the components 26, 28 and 30 to form a holly garland, for instance, an end 50 of the tube 26 is telescopically engaged in the passageway 40 of a foliage component through the enlarged diameter end 42 thereof. As seen in Fig. 6, the diameter of end 50 is slightly less than the larger diameter end 42 but slightly larger than the smaller diameter opposite end of the sleeve 48. Thus, when inserted through the sleeve 38, the flutes will tend to bite into the interior wall of the sleeve and hold the foliage member in place. However, this will not interfere with sliding of the foliage along the tube or rotating the same relative the tube because of resiliency thereof. In all instances, the proper and desirable angling of the foliage member relative to the tube is automatic upon telescopic engagement of the member and tube 26.

Although not shown, the inner circumference of a sleeve 38 may be formed with complementary longitudinal grooves which enable the sleeve and tube to be geared together. This construction would not require tight engagement of the sleeve on the tube and still prevent inadvertent rotation of the sleeve relative the tube.

The component parts of the invention described enable the garland product to be packaged unassembled. The purchaser thereafter assembles the garland, as he sees fit. This is readily and conveniently done, without requiring unique training or skill. Thereafter, the components can be easily dis-assembled by sliding the foliage members off the tube. These advantages were not attainable with prior art structures which required skilled and trained personnel to assemble.

' Because of the great flexibility of the tube 26, unusual drapes and contours can be achieved with the garland structure 20. The molded plastic members are strong, long-lasting, and weather resistant. They can be used outdoors with equal advantage.

It is believed that the invention has been described in sufficient detail to enable the skilled artisan to understand and practice the same. The invention has been defined in the claims hereto appended in language intended to be construed broadly commensurate with the progress in the arts and sciences contributed thereby.

I claim:

1. In an artificial garland construction, an elongate, hollow plastic tube having substantial flexibility transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof and a plurality of artificial molded foliage members slidably engaged on the tube at spaced locations along the length thereof, each of said foliage members including a sleeve member having said tube extending therethrough, said sleeve and tube being frictionally engaged one with the other to limit inadvertent relative movement therebetween.

2. A garland construction as described in claim 1 in which said sleeve member has a tapered axial passageway therethrough, the smaller diameter end of the passageway being smaller than the outside diameter of the tube.

3. In an artificial garland construction, an elongate, hollow plastic tube having substantial flexibility transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof and a plurality of artificial molded foliage members slidably engaged on the tube at spaced locations along the length thereof, each of said foliage members including a sleeve member having said tube extending therethrough, said sleeve member having a tapered axial passageway therethrough and said tube having a longitudinally fluted exterior surface frictionally engaged with the interior surface of said sleeve member to limit relative movement therebetween.

4. An artificial holly garland construction comprising, a hollow, flexible strand formed of a plastic material, a plurality of artificial leaf and berry members telescopically engaged with said strand at spaced apart locations along the length of the strand, each of said leaf and berry members having a sleeve member connected to one end thereof slidable and rotatable on the strand, each leaf member having a stem portion protruding from the base of the leaf, said sleeve member being secured to the outer end of said stem portion, said strand being engaged with said sleeve members to limit both slidable and rotatable movement of the sleeve members relative to the strand.

5. An artificial holly garland construction comprising, a hollow, flexible strand formed of a plastic material, a plurality of artificial leaf and berry members telescopically engaged with said strand at spaced apart locations along the length of the strand, each of said leaf and berry members having a sleeve member connected to one end thereof slidable and rotatable on the strand, each sleeve having a tapered bore therethrough and said strand having a longitudinally fluted circumferential surface, said fluted formations being intimately engaged References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rice Dec. 10, Dauer Dec. 2, Brenner Oct. 7, Fiedler K.... June 12, Bussert Aug. 21, Warren Mar. 18, 

